Dispersal technique for cw bw agents

ABSTRACT

Dispensing canister for BW-CW agents characterized by the agent being in gel form of certain viscosity and a central burster tube containing a propellant for producing pressure of relatively low order, to effect dispersal of the gel into relatively large particles.

Umted States Patent 11 1 1111 3,713,383 Crescenzo et al. 1 1 Jan. 30,1973 [54] DISPERSAL TECHNIQUE FOR CW/BW [56] References Cited AGENTSUNITED STATES PATENTS [75] Inventors: Frank G. Crescenzo; William A.

3,354,829 11/1967 NlChOlS ..102/90 S i 5??? of Chma 1,276,082 8/l9l8Kuhn ,.....-..102 67 a 1,417,475 5/1922 Weeke ..102/66 2,294,415 9/1942McBride ..102/65 [73] Ass'gnee' The Umted America as 2,787,217 4/1957Mahaffie ..l02/6 by 3 143 070 8/1964 Bowen ....l02/66 Navy 3.207.0719/1965 Le Tourneau ..102/6 [22] Filed: May 16,1966

Primary Examiner-Samuel W. Engle [211 PP 551,842 Attorney-G. J. Rubens,R. Miller and v. c. Muller [52] US. Cl ..l02/6, l02/90 [57] ABSTRACT[51} Int. Cl ..F42b 25/12 Dispensing canister for BW-CW agentscharacterized [58] 1 1610 of Search ..l02/6, 39, 65, 66, 90, 92, y theagent being in g form of certain viscosity and 02 7 a central burstertube containing a'propellant for producing pressure of relatively loworder, to effect dispersal of the gel into relatively large particles.

3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures DISPERSAL TECHNIQUE FOR CW/BW AGENTS Theinvention described herein may be manufactured and used by or' for theGovernment of the United States of America for governmental purposeswithout the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

This invention relates to biological and chemical (BW/CW) warfare andmore particularly to improvements in apparatus and method fordispersing, from a locus, chemical substances to targets such aspersonnel, disposed in the vicinity of the dispersing locus.

In the prior art, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,143,070 to Bowen,it has been proposed to disseminate chemical substances by a highexplosive booster charge located within a frangible container of liquid.While this represents an improvement over former spray systems whichwere bulky, complicated, and dangerous to the operator, it does notproduce optimum results since the shock wave of a high explosive dividesthe liquid into such extremely small particles, such as a spray, thatthe individual particles cannot be projected to optimum distances due totheir high air drag.

One of the objects of this invention is to deliver toxic or otherchemical agents to greater distances from a dispersing locus and inparticle sizes substantially greater than heretofore.

Another object is to provide apparatus which, through selection ofdesign of its component parts, may be varied to control particle sizeand distance of propagation of the particles.

Still further objects, advantages and salient features will become moreapparent from a consideration of the description to follow, the appendedclaims, and the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a dispensing canister, forming the subjectof the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged section taken on line 2-2, FIG.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged section taken on line 3-3, FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a representative detail, such as adjacent arrow 4, FIG. 2.

Referring now to the drawing, and particularly FIG. 2, the subject ofthe invention comprises, in general, a canister 10, containing achemical agent 12, and a central burster 14, all of which are somewhatanalogous to the corresponding parts in the patent to Bowen, previouslyreferred to.

In a developmental version of the invention (not shown) the canistercomprised a commercially available tin can about 7 inches long and 3 :2inches in diameter having the conventional longitudinally crimped seamand crimped lids or ends, all with a thickness of 0.010 inches. This wasfound unsatisfactory due to premature failure of the longitudinal seam.The construction shown was substituted, this comprising a seamlessaluminum tube 16 having a wall thickness of 0.031 inches, except at theends, where it is reduced in thickness to 0.010, inches as bestillustrated in FIG. 4, and conventional tin can lids 18, 18a crimped tothe same in conventional manner. For equiangularly-spaced longitudinalweakening grooves 20 are rolled into the wall to a depth of 0.009 incheswith a 90 rolling tool.

Burster 14 comprises a seamless aluminum tube 22, it inches in diameterof 0.035 inches wall thickness having a pair of diametrically opposed 60weakening grooves 24 scribed longitudinally into its outer surface andalong its length to a depth of 0.015 inches. One end of the tube iscemented to a phenolic resin disk 26, which in turn, may be cemented tolid 18a. An aluminum plug 28 is welded in one end of the tube and anepoxy filler 30 is disposed adjacent the plug. Five grams of HERCULESUNIQUE or DUPONT No. 6 pistol powder 32 are disposed adjacent thefiller, having an electric squib 34 embedded in the same with suitablelead wires 36 for initiating the squib. Tissue paper or foam material 38is disposed adjacent the power and the other end of the tube is closedby a plug 40 formed of epoxy material, containing steel power.

Chemical agent 12 is in the form of a liquid which has been thickened bya thickening agent, such as polymethyl methacrylate or polyisobutylmethacrylate, to a viscosity of 10,000 to 100,000 centipoise, the latterbeing of a sticky consistency analogous to honey.

The device may be delivered to a desired location in the form of aplanted booby trap or by dropping form aircraft in which case it wouldpreferably be contained in, or be formed as an air stabilized missilewhich would deliver it to a target area with the longitudinal axis ofthe canister nearly vertical to thus produce maximum spread ordispersion in all radial directions. A proximity or impact fuze (notshown) may be employed, depending upon the desired position ofinitiation.

Upon initiation, the propellant produces gas under pressure of the orderof 10,000 psi as compared to 1,000,000 to 2,000,000 psi of highexplosives of the prior art. The inner burster tube ruptures along itsweakened sections allowing the pressure to be applied to the thickenedliquid, which in turn, ruptures the canister along its weakenedsections. The material is dispersed mainly in a plane perpendicular tothe longitudinal axis of the canister in all radial directions and ingenerally spherical particle sizes which may vary from the order of H10cc to 1 cc which are, as will be apparent, materially larger than thespray or mist particles which are dispersed by high explosives withtheir attendant shock waves.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention arepossible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to beunderstood that within the scope of the appended claims the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is: y

1. Apparatus for dispensing a BW-CW agent, comprising;

a. A cylindrical seamless metal canister tube having reduced wallthickness at its opposite ends,

b. A commercially flat tin can lid secured to each of the reduced endportions with a conventional tin can crimp,

c. A centrally disposed cylindrical burster tending between said lids,

d. The annular space between the canister and burster tube being filledwith a BW-CW agent,

e. said agent being in gel form and thickened by a thickening agent to aviscosity between 10,000 and 100,000 centipoise,

f. said burster tube containing an explosive propellant of a type and ina quantity that when initiated,

it produces pressure within the container of low tube exwith a pluralityof angularly spaced longitudinally extending weakening grooves in theirouter surfaces.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said pressure is of theorder of 10,000 psi as compared to 1,000,000 to 2,000,000 psi, attendantwith a high explosive shock wave.

1. Apparatus for dispensing a BW-CW agent, comprising; a. A cylindricalseamless metal canister tube having reduced wall thickness at itsopposite ends, b. A commercially flat tin can lid secured to each of thereduced end portions with a conventional tin can crimp, c. A centrallydisposed cylindrical burster tube extending between said lids, d. Theannular space between the canister and burster tube being filled with aBW-CW agent, e. said agent being in gel form and thickened by athickening agent to a viscosity between 10,000 and 100,000 centipoise,f. said burster tube containing an explosive propellant of a type and ina quantity that when initiated, it produces pressure within thecontainer of low order and considerably below the pressure attendantwith a high explosive shock wave, to effect rupture of the canister anddispersion of the agent in relatively large particles considerablylarger than would be dispersed by an attendant shock wave.
 2. Apparatusin accordance with claim 1 wherein said canister tube and burster tubeare each provided with a plurality of angularly spaCed longitudinallyextending weakening grooves in their outer surfaces.